The Framework, unveiled this month in Brussels, sets out proposals for how the EU budget should be shared during the next seven-year financial cycle and must still be agreed by the European Council and European Parliament.

The Commission, however, reinforced its commitment to Erasmus+, hailing the programme as one of the European Union’s most visible success stories which will ‘continue to create opportunities for the education and mobility of young people’.

Members supported a focus on inclusiveness and reaching more young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in the future.

The proposed budget would include €700 million for Interrail passes for young people as the Commission seeks to allow more of them to move to another country to learn or work.

In addition to €30 billion for Erasmus+, the Commission is also recommending that a further €1.26 billion be set aside for the new European Solidarity Corps, an initiative for youth volunteering and work which benefits communities, some aspects of which are currently being piloted through Erasmus+.